A series of drastic, creative and breakthrough measures to both fight the epidemic and maintain production, and especially to prevent the epidemic from the community into industrial parks and vice versa from the industrial park to the community have been taken. Currently, the epidemic in Bac Ninh is basically under control, but the risk of an outbreak is still out there, therefore it is necessary to continue taking epidemic prevention and control measures decisively and effectively.

Bac Ninh is known for the high population density (at 5 times higher than the national average) and the hub of industrial parks with about 450,000 workers from more than 20 provinces and cities nationwide. Workers live in the residential community leading to the high risk of spreading the epidemic from the community to the industrial zone and vice versa.

Bac Ninh has mobilized people to join 6,700 Community Covid Teams, 7,000 Covid Safety Teams and 40 supervising task forces in industrial parks and in the the community; promoted the application of information technology in epidemic prevention, required businesses to set up QR codes in a number of places in the factory, installed the Bluezone application on the phone, make medical declarations and provide information of all workers to the authorities. At the same time, vaccination is taken with priority given to workers.

As soon as the epidemic situation were well controlled and no more outbreaks and community infections were detected, the provincial authorities assessed the impact of the epidemic on the economy to point out appropriate and effective solutions for economic recovery and development. Then the province would create all conditions for businesses to operate in the new situation.

Bac Ninh has actively developed a scenario for economic recovery after the pandemic with a focus on specific solutions such as continually taking  measures to fight against the epidemic; carrying out vaccination in the community; synchronously implementing solutions on mechanisms and policies to provide maximum support to businesses and people in order to promote production and business activities and recover the economy after the epidemic.

Specifically, attention is given to dealing with claims as well as removing difficulties so that enterprises can ensure production plans according to signed contracts; extending the deadline for payment of value-added tax, corporate income tax, personal income tax and land rental fee according to Decree No. 52/2021/ND-CP of the Government. The Departments and branches also cut down procedures and processing time for businesses and people; promote administrative reform, improve the local competitiveness index in order to create an attractive investment environment for businesses. A number of policies following Directive no. 16/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister are released to support workers, especially those who are F0, F1 cases and in the blockade area or have to rent inns; female ones who are pregnant or raise children under 6 years old; workers who are temporarily off from work without pay; workers whose contract is terminated but are not eligible for unemployment benefits; workers who are paying compulsory social insurance to be off from work for medical isolation; workers to enjoy health insurance benefits during unpaid leave.

Bac Ninh also proposes policies to support enterprises such as offering loan to pay severance allowance and salaries for employees; temporarily suspending from paying social insurance premiums to pension and death benefit funds. Bac Ninh is among the first 12 provinces to apply for refinancing from the State Bank to provide loans for employers with a total amount of VND 44 billion and the second highest disbursement nationwide with more than VND 16 billion (after Bac Giang province with VND 21 billion).

At the beginning of July 2021, Bac Ninh held the Business Dialogues Conferences in 2021 (01 dialogue with FDI enterprises and 01 dialogue with domestic enterprises) and an online seminar on improving the business environment, enhancing provincial competitiveness index. At the same time, site clearance for industrial zones is pushed up; the list of projects calling for  investment in various fields is publicized.

In order to create favorable conditions for enterprises to do business and production, on June 15, the Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control issued Decision No. 208/QD-BCD to temporarily ensure the Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control in the new situation in the province from June 20^th. To make it convenient as well as safe epidemic control for workers to back for work at factories, Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Huong Giang directed relevant departments, branches and localities, within their competence and maximum support, to receive and handle petitions from businesses, especially those related to workers and their vehilcles passing through Covid-19 checkpoints, while at the same time, providing specific instructions for businesses to strictly supervise workers entering in and out the factories, arrange meals, and take Covid-19 tests for employees.

Moreover, enterprises are also directed to arrange accommodation for workers in the direction of "eating, living and working together", accordingly workers in the same company are arranged to rent the same boarding houses in the same area. Workers are directed to go to work in the direction of "2 places, 1 route"; and workers staying at the factory are required to take "6 Safety rules" including safety in production, safety from Covid-19, order security, food safety, safety from fire, rest assured in production.

The Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee decided to set up the three fastest response team (the most effective consultancy, the fastest resolution, the safest anti-epidemic) which is responsible for receiving reflected information directly to each member as well as help desks to connect with businesses and business households through multimedia communication systems; thereby ensuring the Covid-19 prevention and control, promptly and directly solving specific difficulty and problem of businesses and business households.

Thanks to these drastic, synchronous and creative solutions; despite the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic with extremely complicated developments, Bac Ninh was determined and successfully held the election of deputies to the 15^th National Assembly and all-level People's Councils with a voter turnout rate of 99.07%. In the first 6 months, the province’s economy still earned high growth rate, the gross domestic product (GRDP) increased by 7.45% over the same period, state budget revenue increased by 7.5%, credit outstanding balance increased by 20.5%, industrial production index increased by 10.88%, commodity export value increased by 29.7%, production value of agriculture, forestry and fishery increased by 8.1%, etc.

In the last 6 months of the year, the world and the domestic situation is likely to witness difficulties, inherent risks and challenges. If Bac Ninh takes rapid response to curb the pandemic under the control soon, the GRDP for the whole year 2021 is estimated to increase by 4-5%. To achieve the set target, it is required to continue taking synchronous development solutions, consistently implementing the dual goal of "resolutely and effectively preventing the epidemics, protecting people's health, whilst promoting socio-economic development”; realizing Directive No. 16/CT-TTg dated June 14, 2021 of the Prime Minister on ensuring jobs, raising living standards and improving working conditions of workers.

Along with that, a series of measures have been taken to improve and create a favorable business and investment environment; support businesses to resume operation and increase production capacity; ensure the epidemic prevention and control. Specifically, enterprises are supported to remove difficulties, especially in the extension of tax payment. Workers are enabled to go back to work to end the shortage of labour due to various reasons such as being isolated; living in the blocked area or being restricted as the local authorities prohibited residents from coming to work in the epidemic area. Enterprises are instructed to complete production plans in case of any likely outbreak to minimize its effect on production, and so on.

And above all, the whole political system and people can’t let down guard in preventing the epidemic; trying to protect the results of epidemic prevention that we have worked so hard to get today. Together with the above measures, Bac Ninh will also continue to speed up the the vaccination, which is considered a fundamental solution to protect Bac Ninh's anti-epidemic achievements.